Terminal connection for electric apparatus



Dec; '17,- 1929. v E. G. NEWTON 1,740,367

TERMINAL CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 192' Inventor;

4 Edward G.Newton by H is Attorney.

Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD G. NEWTON, PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TERMINAL CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS Application filed December 28, 1927. Serial No. 243,115.

My invention relates to terminal connections for electrical apparatus. More particularly it relates to terminal connections especially adapted for high potential apparatus, transformers, cut-out devices and the like, and is especially adapted for use in connection with apparatus of the above character which are intended to be installed as subway equipment.

Heretofore electrical apparatus of the above character has not been, so far as I am aware, provided with permanent and complete terminals to which cable connections may be directly made without in any way dismantling the electric apparatus or any portion of it after shipment. The cable connection has heretofore been made either within the casing that encloses the electrical device or in a projecting section which has to be dismantled in order to enable the splicing to be done between the device and the outside cable after which the projecting element is reassembled.

It is'an object of my invention to provide a terminal for such electrical apparatus such that the cable connection may be made to the apparatus just as it is received from the manufacturer. It is an object to have a cable terminal of the apparatus free and to provide means to enable the splicing operation to be directly made to the free terminal. It is an object to provide the free terminal with a shipping cap which may be removed and discarded at the time that the installation is made.

The invention and all of its objects and details will be readily understood from the following specification and claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shows in elevation and partly in section an electric device with a terminal comprising features of the invention; Fig. 2 shows in section the completed spliced connection between the outside cable, shown on the right and the terminal of the device, shown at'the left, the splice being covered by the usual lead cable joint.

Referring more in detail to the drawing it will be seen that I have elected to illustrate an improved terminal in connection with an provided with threads 6. in an opening for receiving the threaded end of a metal tube 7.

This tube is provided at its opposite end also with threads 8 for the purpose of receiving and holding shipping cap 9, which is provided with corresponding threads as shown. Extending through the tube 7 there is a hollow bushing 10 which is suitably secured to thetube 7. As shown in the drawing this may be done by means of threads 11. The thickness of the bushing is determined by the potential of the device. As shown in the drawing the outer end of the bushing is preferably tapered and terminates in a terminal element 12, which is preferably metal. This element 12 is perforated and a metal conductor 13 of the cable passes through and projects beyond the element 12. This element is provided with a' screw 1 1 for clamping the conductor 13 in place, after it has been threaded through the terminal 12.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the splicing is done by first removing the shipping cap 9 and then bringing the outside cable 15 end to end with-the cable 5. The ends of the two cable conductors 13 and 16 of the two cables are inserted in a metal sleeve 17, which sleeve is preferably sweated to the two conductors, thereby inserting an effective electrical connection between the two ends of the cables. After this has been completed .the joint is covered with insulating tape 17*.

Furthermore the end of the cable 15 is finished off with metal tape 18*. Thereafter the lead sleeve 18 is connected at one end with a lead of the cable 15 by the usual wiping operation. Similarly the opposite end of the sleeve 18 is sealed into connection with the metal sleeve 7 by the usual form of wiping operation. It should be stated that before the wiping operation is done the lead sleeve 18 is secured to the metal sleeve 7 to cover the threads 8 as shown. After the sleeve has been closed at both ends it is perforated at one or two points along its length and the sleeve thereafter filled with compound 19. After this is done the openings in the sleeve 18 are scaled up. In this fashion the outside cable terminal is fastened to the cable terminal of the device.

It will be seen, therefore, that as a result of the invention it is possible to make a very effective and simple connection between the device and the outside cable and that this may be done in much less time and more effectively than by the use of devices heretofore used and methods heretofore practiced. Terminals of this sort, the subject of this application, are cheaper to make and the resulting joint is more effective and can be completed in less time and with less effort than heretofore.

It will be understood that while I have elected to disclose my invention in connection with a specific form of terminal I do not wish to be limited to such specific form of my invention, inasmuch as in view of the disclosure modifications and variations may be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the claim contained herein. For example,

' the sleeve 7 need not necessarily be threaded into engagement with the head, the terminal 35 12 need not necessarily be metal, nor need it be necessarily located at the particular point shown.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is In combination, a terminal container for an electrical device, an opening in said container, a cable connected to said device in the container, said cable extendin through said opening, a terminal for said ca le, said terminal comprising a tube secured to said container about said opening, a hollow bushing extending through said tube, said bushing being secured to said tube, a threaded element in threaded engagement with the end of 50 the hollow bushing, said threaded element being perforated, said. cable extending through said bushing and through said perforation in the threaded element whereby an extension cable may be spliced to the said 55 cable, and whereby a sleeve may be spliced to said tube over said bushing and the terminal thereby covered without disturbing the assembly, and means for securing said first -mentioned cable to said threaded element, co thereby locking the cable terminal and the cable together.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of Dec., 1927.

EDWARD G. NEWTON. 

